Ex-NFL Star Urges Giants to Test Rookie Jaxson Dart Sooner Rather Than Later
Matt Ryan says New York should accelerate Jaxson Dart’s on-field opportunities after the Giants used a first-round pick on the quarterback.
Former NFL MVP Matt Ryan said Sunday that the New York Giants should find out sooner rather than later what they have in rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, who is listed as the backup to starter Russell Wilson.
The Giants selected Dart in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft and have kept Wilson, a Super Bowl champion, as their Week 1 starter against the Washington Commanders. Still, NFL Network reported that Dart could see snaps in specific situations, and Ryan told CBS’ pregame show that giving the rookie on-field opportunities would accelerate the team’s evaluation.
"I think he definitely plays. I think if you’re Brian Daboll and you’re Joe Schoen, right, the path to success moving forward is Jaxson Dart," Ryan said. "The future of this organization is Jaxson Dart. I think the sooner you find out what you have, the sooner you let him grow, the better off you’re gonna be."
The Giants reportedly prepared a limited package of plays for Dart that would be used in specific situations. Such packages are often tailored to players who offer a change of pace, either with mobility or creative playmaking, and have been compared to how teams have used hybrid players like Taysom Hill in recent seasons.
Dart drew attention during the preseason for his playmaking and mobility, a performance that energized portions of the Giants’ fan base and helped justify the team's decision to use a first-round pick on the former Ole Miss starter. The Giants, led by coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen, have publicly stressed a measured approach to integrating rookies while prioritizing team performance.
Dart has said he is prepared to learn from Wilson and to accept whatever role helps the team win. "Russ has completely earned (the starting) role, and he's played amazing, played elite," Dart said at the end of preseason. "So, for me, I just want to be the best teammate, and I just want this team to win. Whatever my role is for that to happen, I'm going to do that to the best of my ability."
Giants coaching staff and front-office personnel face competing priorities: maximizing the chance to win now with a veteran starter and evaluating a high-draft investment for the future. The team’s plan to use a controlled play package for Dart suggests a hybrid approach that would allow the coaching staff to test the rookie in game conditions without turning over the offense immediately.
For Sunday’s opener, the team announced Wilson will start and Dart will serve as the backup. How extensively the Giants deploy Dart in the early weeks will be watched closely by fans and analysts as a barometer of the organization’s timeline for transition at quarterback and its broader roster-building strategy.